Leaked CAG Report Claims AAP’s Liquor Policy In Delhi Caused Revenue Loss Of Over Rs 2K Crore: Report

New Delhi: A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed a revenue loss of Rs 2,026 crore to the exchequer due to alleged irregularities in the implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy of the Delhi government, claimed the India Today. The news channel has claimed to have accessed the leaked CAG report. According to the channel, the leaked report highlights significant lapses, policy deviations, and violations in issuing licences.

The policy failed to achieve its intended goals and AAP leaders allegedly benefitted from kickbacks, the report states, as claimed by India Today. The report also reportedly mentions that recommendations by the expert panel were disregarded by the Group of Ministers (GoM) led by the then-Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia.

Here are some of the alleged violations

The liquor policy was introduced in November 2021. The purpose of the policy was to revamp the liquor retail landscape in New Delhi for maximum generation of revenue. But there were allegations of corruption and money laundering. This led to investigations by the ED and the CBI. Several top AAP leaders, including then-Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, were arrested. Last year, they were granted bail last year.

The CAG report is yet to be tabled in the Delhi Assembly. According to reports, it alleges that all entities were allowed to bid despite complaints, and the financial conditions of the bidders were not scrutinised or reviewed. It has also been claimed that CAG found that violators were deliberately not penalised. Key decisions related to the policy were taken without a Cabinet nod or approval by the Lieutenant Governor, the CAG report claims. It further highlights that the new norms were not tabled before the Assembly for ratification. However, this is mandatory according to the official procedure.

BREAKDOWN OF THE REVENUE LOSS

The report  states that while some retailers retained their licences till the expiry of the policy, some surrendered them before the period was over, claimed India Today. Consequently, as the surrendered retail licences were not re-tendered, the government reportedly suffered a loss of Rs 890 crore. It also claims that exemptions allowed to zonal licensees led to an additional loss of Rs 941 crore. Not just that, Rs 144 crore was waived in licence fees for zonal licensees on the pretext of Covid curbs. The CAG report also flagged that infrastructure for quality control, such as labs and batch testing facilities, was never set up. However, these infrastructure was part of the policy plan.

AAP reacts, says report was filed at BJP office

AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has raised doubts regarding such claims. According to reports, he asked if the CAG report was filed at the BJP’s office.”Where is this CAG report? Where are these claims coming from? Is it filed at the BJP office? BJP leaders have lost their mental balance. The CAG report has not been tabled, and they are making such claims,” the AAP leader said, as quoted by India Today.

Meanwhile, Singh has also accused the BJP of doing electoral fraud. “This is a very big electoral fraud which is happening right under the nose of Central Election Commission in New Delhi. It is actually very amazing… The Election Commission should take cognisance of this… The so-called biggest party of the world is stuck in Arvind Kejriwal’s toilet,” he told ANI.